An apparatus for electroplating a workpiece is disclosed in which the apparatus includes a workpiece holding structure. The workpiece holding structure includes a workpiece support having at least one surface that is disposed to engage a front side of the workpiece and at least one electrical contact disposed for contact with at least one corresponding electrical contact on a back-side of the workpiece. The workpiece includes one or more electrically conductive paths between the at least one corresponding electrical contact and a front-side of the workpiece to facilitate electroplating of the front-side surface. An actuator is provided for driving the workpiece support between a first position in which the at least one electrical contact of the workpiece and the at least one contact of the workpiece holding structure are disengaged from one another, and a second position in which the at least one surface clamps the workpiece in a position in which the at least one electrical contact of the workpiece holding structure electrically engages the at least one electrical contact of the workpiece.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. In an apparatus for electroplating a microelectronic workpiece comprising a substrate formed from a semiconductor or insulator material, the microelectronic workpiece further including at least one electrical contact at a back-side thereof formed to electrically connect power applied thereto to one or more conductive portions at a front-side of the microelectronic workpiece, a workpiece holding structure comprising: a workpiece support having at least one surface disposed to engage a front side of the microelectronic workpiece; at least one electrical contact disposed proximate the workpiece support and being aligned for contacting the at least one electrical contact at a back side of the microelectronic workpiece, an automatically operated actuator for driving the workpiece support between a workpiece loading position in which the workpiece support surface is distal said at least one electrical contact and a processing position in which said at least one electrical contact electrically contacts the at least one electrical contact at the back-side of the microelectronic workpiece to thereby hold the microelectronic workpiece between the electrical contact and the at least one support surface during microelectronic workpiece processing.
2. The workpiece holding structure according to claim 1, wherein said at least one surface engages an edge region of said microelectronic workpiece.
3. The workpiece holding structure according to claim 2, wherein said at least one surface engages opposing sides of said microelectronic workpiece substantially symmetrically about centerlines of said microelectronic workpiece.
4. The workpiece holding structure according to claim 1, wherein said at least one surface comprises plural discrete, spaced-apart surfaces.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 11, 1998
November 27, 2001
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